For those born July 4, 1950.

You're one of the first people who's never lived in a world without George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.

In November 2016, Andrew Simmons wrote about the experience of teaching Nineteen Eighty-Four in his high school classes after Donald Trump's election.

1950

Beginnings

Around the time you were born, the Suppression of Communism Act came into force in South Africa.

In October 1988, James T. Patterson examined how McCarthyism came to be and what it meant.

1950

Year 68

You were born in July of 1950. This year, The Atlantic celebrates its 160th birthday, making it 2 times as old as you.

The year you were born, Robert Moses, the controversial and influential city planner who shaped the development of New York City, wrote about how greedy speculators and weak regulations compromised the quality of new suburban homes.

1968

Coming of age

Around your 18th birthday, U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot in Los Angeles after winning the California primary.

In September 2012, David A. Graham wrote about Bobby Kennedy's funeral.

1969

NASA

Man on the Moon

At 19 years old, you were alive to behold people walking on the moon.

Over the years, the moon landing has come to be lauded as the pinnacle of human achievement, although it was often derided at the time. In 1963, NASA astronauts took to The Atlantic to plead the case for landing on the moon.

1983

Half a life ago

Your life can be divided into two halves: before and after the Disney Channel.

In July 2015, James Parker wrote about the insidious messages tweens pick up from the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.

2005

Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Contemporaries

In 2005, Arianna Huffington, who was born the same year as you, co-founded The Huffington Post.

In April 2010, Shauna Miller wrote about how newspapers can stay alive in the digital age.

2007

NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute

Across the Universe

When you turned 56, you watched humankind reach the outer solar system.